Shloka 13

Devanagari script

प्रजामाचक्षते विप्रा: पुराणा: शाशबिन्दवीम्‌ | स वृष्णिवंशप्रभवो महावंश: प्रजापते:,प्राचीनकालके ब्राह्मण अधिकांश प्रजाकी उत्पत्ति शशबिन्दुसे ही बताते हैं। प्रजापतिका वह महान्‌ वंश ही वृष्णिवंशका उत्पादक हुआ

Transliteration

prajām ācakṣate viprāḥ purāṇāḥ śaśabindavīm | sa vṛṣṇivaṁśa-prabhavo mahāvaṁśaḥ prajāpateḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “The ancient Brahmin sages describe the origin of peoples as stemming from Śaśabindu. From Prajāpati arose that great lineage, and from it the famed Vṛṣṇi dynasty later came forth.”

Word by Word

प्रजाम्progeny, creatures

आचक्षतेdeclare, describe, call

विप्राःBrahmins, sages

पुराणाःancient, of old

शाशबिन्दवीम्belonging to/derived from Śaśabindu

सःhe/that (lineage)

वृष्णिवंशप्रभवःthe source/origin of the Vṛṣṇi lineage

महावंशःthe great lineage/dynasty

प्रजापतेःof Prajāpati

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Vipras (Brahmin sages)

Śaśabindu

Prajāpati

Vṛṣṇi dynasty (Vṛṣṇivaṁśa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate social and royal lineages are grounded in ancient sacred tradition: the sages trace the peoples’ origin to Śaśabindu and connect the later Vṛṣṇi dynasty to a primordial Prajāpati-born great lineage, reinforcing continuity, authority, and dharmic order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing on dharma and polity in the Śānti Parva, cites what ancient Brahmin sages say about origins: they attribute the rise of peoples to Śaśabindu and explain that the Vṛṣṇi clan emerged from a great Prajāpati-descended dynasty.